


Unspoken

by Iverna



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Original Trilogy
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-28
Updated: 2017-09-28
Packaged: 2019-01-06 13:00:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 910
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12211791
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Iverna/pseuds/Iverna
Summary: Because everyone looked at Han and Leia at some point, and just knew.





	Unspoken

It’s not that they ever talk about it.

Leia just gives Han that look sometimes, eyes slightly narrowed, brow slightly furrowed, like she’s trying to crack a code. He never seems to notice; on the rare occasion he catches her at it, his own brow furrows defensively, like he’s daring her to voice whatever criticism he’s sure she’s thinking.

Han’s eyes just light up like that when he realises that he’s being assigned to the same base as Leia—even though by rights, he shouldn’t even know she’s there. Her location is supposed to be classified, but somehow, it never seems to come as a surprise to Han.

Leia has begun to scowl whenever anyone makes derogatory remarks about outlaws or “fringe scum”. She reminds one member of the Council that technically, officially, the entire Rebellion is comprised of outlaws, including her, and does he really think of _her_ in those terms?

Han glares at anyone who criticises Leia’s leadership, though he doesn’t defend her outright. He just smiles, wicked and edged with durasteel, and suggests that they go and voice their criticism to her in person.

They never talk about it.

No one ever talks about it.

Luke and Chewie just exchange a glance when Leia comes striding over to the _Falcon_ , fury sparking from every inch of her being, and agree without words that they’re both needed elsewhere.

The sound of the argument carries through the entire hangar and beyond, but nobody seems to notice. A lot of people have suddenly found something to chuckle about, but if asked, they will probably blame it on Janson.

Chewbacca has become just as protective of Leia as he is of Han. He laughs when she out-argues Han and leaves him glowering and speechless, and he meets Han’s betrayed look with more laughter, like he knows something Han doesn’t.

Leia is the first person they call when the _Falcon_ limps back to base, new carbon scoring on its hull telling the story of its latest fight. Han is unconscious, and the med droid and Chewie cart him off to medical. Leia stays until he wakes up, then disappears for a few minutes before showing up back at her station as if nothing happened.

The Rebel soldier supporting a wounded Leia stops automatically once Han comes running, and steps aside so Han can take over. There’s no need for Han to stick around once Leia has been brought back to camp, and is strapped onto a medical gurney. But he stays close by anyway, just in case. Anyway, if he abandons his post, Leia will only end up yelling at him again.

Han abandons his post—and the plan—on the next mission, which enables him to get the objective, but also leads to him getting shot at. Leia yells at him once he makes it back to the ship. He yells back. Everyone else tries very hard to become invisible, especially when they run out of words to yell, and all that’s left is _I’m scared, I care, I can’t lose you, I’m not going anywhere._

No one says them. But they seem to hover in the air, all the same.

Rieekan curses under his breath as he tries to find out what happened to the mission, the one that required “no obvious Alliance personnel”, the one that seems to have gone to hell. He knows the way Leia’s eyes fill with the ghosts of terror and loss and heartbreak too great to put into words. He barks at the communications officer to try and contact Solo again, and when the man finally, finally answers, he doesn’t even bother reminding him that asking a superior officer whether he missed you is not proper protocol.

Mon Mothma makes sure that, when the anniversary of the Battle of Yavin comes around, Han and Luke are on the same base or ship as Leia. She doesn’t show favouritism. She has a Rebellion to run and watch over.

Luke gets back to their makeshift camp after reconnaissance and sees an exhausted Leia slumped against Han’s side, her head leaning on his shoulder, her eyes shut. Han is sitting back in a way that can’t possibly be comfortable, and Luke sees a rare flash of fear on the man’s face as he realises that Luke is there. Luke shuts off his glowrod and pretends that his eyesight is far worse in the dark than it is and reports his findings in a whisper. They don’t want the Imperials finding them, after all.

Wedge Antilles reaches the rendezvous and makes sure to mention that he saw the _Falcon_ hightailing it off the planet before the Imperials arrived, and Tycho Celchu chimes in with a comment about Solo’s crazy flying that’s sure to have shaken off the Imperial pursuit. Neither of them seem to be aware that the princess is standing nearby.

Wes Janson leans against his X-Wing and tells Hobbie and Luke about the intergalactic businessman with whom Leia had dinner to discuss funding for the Rebellion, and laughs loudly about the way Leia effortlessly parried his every attempt at flirtation, and pities the poor man for his complete lack of chances. Halfway across the small hangar bay, Han Solo stops scowling at the _Falcon_ ’s access panel, and Chewbacca breathes a sigh of relief.

But it’s not that they ever talk about it.

After all, there’s no need to talk about something that everyone already knows.


End file.
